The
Cranchi 33 Endurance, a sleek, blue-hulled express cruiser, generated
some talk among attendees at last fall’s Fort Lauderdale International
Boat Show for her streamlined profile, artistic centerline radar mast
with arrow-shape top, and centerline helm station. Truly a different-looking
boat, she was also reported to dart across the water like a flyingfish.
So when I got the call to test her, I high-tailed it from New York to
Fort Lauderdale to meet up with Cranchi’s U.S. representative James
Clayton.

Prior
to setting out for the test, Clayton took out a special plug-in tool
that interfaced his laptop to one of the standard 300-hp Volvo Penta
KAD300 electronic (EDC) stern drive diesels, which would allow us
to record our boat’s fuel-flow data. To access the engines,
Clayton flicked a switch next to the aft sunpad, and a hydraulic ram
lifted it to reveal the powerplants. Even with the sunpad up, I found
twisting and contorting necessary to get into the engine compartment.
However, once I was in there, all regular maintenance items were accessible.

Clayton
took his position at the helm station, which is fitted with a burlwood
dash; analog gauges that show fuel levels, trim position, engine and
oil temperature; and a standard Raymarine Raychart 530 Plus with seven-inch
display. I made my way forward to release the bow line and found the
side decks were tight for my 101⁄2-size feet. I’d have
been better served accessing the foredeck from underneath, via the
hatch in the middle of the foredeck.

Clayton
started the engines, which were coupled to Volvo Penta’s own
Duoprop drives (aka DP-Gs), eased the optional ($2,761) Volvo Penta
bow thruster to starboard, and pushed the Volvo Penta single-lever
electronic controls forward. As we motored towards the ocean, Clayton
handed me the wheel, and I felt the 33’s Teleflex responsive
power-assisted hydraulic steering (I’d later find out it was
just as good operating at high speeds) and the Volvo Penta controls
comfortably under my right palm. The centerline helm made it easy
to determine the boat’s position in relation to nearby bulkheads
and other boats, which made close-quarter handling a breeze.

Clayton
took back the wheel as I readied my own test gear. The sea was tabletop
flat, so he firewalled the diesels, and we took off with exhilarating
force. The 33’s Volvo Penta Duoprop stern-drive propulsion offered
superb directional thrust, making all turns immediate and purposeful.

I
was gaining confidence in the 33’s abilities as we prepared
to check her speed, and Clayton wanted to demonstrate her outstanding
turning abilities. I’d estimate our boat speed at around 30-plus
mph as Clayton turned the wheel hard-over to port. The turn was sharp,
and it felt like I was on a roller coaster at Disney World. She handled
it brilliantly. That turn was so much fun, it was criminal.

Everything
was going according to plan, until I asked Clayton if the boat could make
that turn at WOT. Although as a boat tester I’m always looking to
find a boat’s strengths and limits, sometimes the envelope gets
pushed too hard. The two of us discussed the maneuver and braced ourselves--at
least we thought we did. Clayton pushed the Volvo Penta electronic controls
full forward, and as the boat reached 47 mph, he put the wheel hard-over
to port, and suddenly the 33 heaved to starboard and snapped back to port.
I had a what-were-we-thinking moment and vowed to not repeat that turn
again.